How to progress your nursing career as an agency nurse or midwife in 2022

Two nurses are sitting at a table looking at a tablet.

Graduating nursing school and becoming a registered nurse (RN) is an exciting milestone in your nursing career – but it isn’t the end of your nursing education. Even if you decide not to pursue a higher level than registered nursing, you will continue gathering new information and learning about new treatments and practices as they happen in the nursing industry.

As the demand for skilled nurses continues to grow in Australia, so do your working options. Transitioning into agency nursing jobs and midwifery jobs offers you more freedom, flexibility, and better pay opportunities. Nursing agencies can provide you with great working conditions and a better variety of shifts. You will also have more opportunities for continued growth at a nursing agency. Below is a guide to help you progress your nursing career in 2022.

Invest in your education

Every time you achieve a higher level of skill, you gain more opportunities and access to more nurse jobs. This makes it more likely that you will find the nursing career that fits you best. Like many nurses, you can work with your existing degree while taking classes to earn a higher-level degree. For example, you might work in an RN job, assistant in nursing (AIN) job, or enrolled nurse (EN) job while taking classes.

Some essential classes to add to your schedule include:

Advanced Life Support This course is a highly sought after course competency that provides the practical skills to perform in a resuscitation situation.
Refresher Nursing Program Refreshes nurses with experience working as RNs or endorsed enrolled nurses (EENs) who are looking to re-enter the acute care setting.
Introduction to Venipuncture and Cannulation Learn the legal implications of venipuncture and cannulation, vein selection and any potential complications so you can stop waiting on a fellow nurse or doctor to step in.

Working while progressing your education will be challenging but rewarding. Having the right support will help you accomplish your professional goals.

Build your network

Networking is important to almost any career today — and nursing is no exception. Networking is how people reach across disciplines and connect on common ground. Your network can provide support and information that will help you become more successful. Your network can also help you deal with any stress you may encounter.

Take every opportunity to meet new people who may offer you new solutions and ideas. Another option is to build a network through workshops, conferences, continuing professional development (CPD) holidays, blogging, group meetings, team training, and webinars. Some helpful examples to try to include are our Respiratory Failure Nursing Seminar and our Plastering, Casting, and Slabbing Workshop. It could be the first step towards filling some of the available clinical facilitator jobs or aged care jobs in Brisbane.

The more like-minded people you include in your network, the more resources you will have.

Look after yourself

Nursing is a physically and mentally demanding career that can sometimes lead to burnout. There are some things that you can do to look after yourself, even if there isn’t time to include them all. Remember, you can’t take care of anyone else until you take care of yourself. Some ways to cope with burnout include:

Don’t over-commit. Learn to delegate responsibilities to other staff members when it’s an option.
Schedule your off-time. Plan quality time with kids and family.
Take care of your health. Live a healthy lifestyle by eating a good diet, getting enough sleep and exercising.
Self-educate by following healthcare blogs and nurses on socials.
Focus on the end game. Once you finish your education, you will be ready to begin a new phase in your nursing career that is even more rewarding than the last.

Are you ready for a new career in agency nursing or midwife?

If you are currently working with us and are looking to progress into a new role, contact us today and set yourself up for success in 2022.

If you’re wanting to join our Brisbane nursing agency at First Choice Care, we have a few ways you can get started. You can apply to work with us or go straight to our jobs board and apply for one of our positions.

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